Somali president arrives in Cairo for official visit to meet Egyptian counterpart

ANKARA

Somalia’s President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on Thursday arrived in Egypt for an official visit to meet with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

According to the official Somali news agency SONNA, the visit comes at the Egyptian president’s invitation to discuss "strengthening joint efforts to combat terrorism and accelerate cooperation in the fields of security and peace in the region."

The news agency highlighted that both countries "prioritize enhancing opportunities for economic and developmental cooperation."

Last August, during Mohamud's two-day Cairo visit, Egypt and Somalia signed a defense pact to bolster bilateral security cooperation.

During the first half of 2024, the trade volume between the two nations reached $59 million, up 88% from $31 million during the same period in 2023, according to Egypt’s statistics authority.